The share of foreign direct investment in fixed capital formation in Italy fell from 6.7 percent in 2013 to 3.2 percent. The flow of direct investment abroad was also sharply down to 23.451 billion dollars from 30.759 billion a year earlier. However, the stock of investment increased to 373 billion dollars in 2014 from 361 billion the year before for incoming FDI (a figure equal to 17.4 percent of GDP) and to 548.5 billion dollars (25.5% of GDP) from 521 billion for outgoing. In a European Union that saw incoming FDI drop to 258 billion dollars in 2014 from 333 billion in 2014, the UK stood out in sharp contrast, last year attracting investments of 72 billion dollars compared to 48 billion in 2013. France's performance was even worse than Italy, with inward investment flows collapsing to 15 billion dollars from 43 billion in 2013. (AGI)